Egypt will help in the completing of repairs on a wing of the Al Aksa Mosque in Jerusalem, President Anwar Sadat promised the Moslem community of East Jerusalem during his visit. The wing was damaged some eight years ago when it was set on fire by Michel Dennis Rahan of Australia.
With his promise, Sadat responded to the wishes of Sheikh Hilmi el Muhtasib, president of the Supreme Moslem Council, and leaders of the East Jerusalem Moslem community. A committee of Egyptian architects will be in charge of the planning and the actual reconstruction. As a gesture to the Coptic community of Jerusalem, Sadat expressed the wish to contribute to the repairs of the Coptic school in the city.
Sadat’s offers were conveyed to Jerusalem May-or Teddy Kollek by Dr. Mohammed Hassan el Tohami of Egypt, an official in the office of the Egyptian President. Kollek issued a statement saying he received the gesture “with deep respect and gratitude and willingly promised on behalf of the government and the city that every effort will be made to facilitate the implementation of these projects.”
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.